Decades of Contaminated Water Have Affected Millions…
In the 1980s, contaminants were found in several wells that provided drinking water at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The contaminants included the volatile organic compounds trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride, benzene, and other compounds. The primary sources of this contamination were on-base leaking storage tanks and industrial activities, and an off-base dry cleaner. It is estimated that the contaminants were in the water supply from the mid-1950s until 1987, when the wells were shut down.
37 Years Later…
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 finally gives veterans who lived at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days rights to compensation for certain illnesses and diseases.
The History of Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune
Our law firm recently created a brief video that shows the history of toxic water and its sources at Camp Lejeune. We are providing this to you so you can understand the depth of the toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
I do caution you that this is a sad video. The quantity of chemicals in the water was well beyond any reasonable levels and the government should have stepped in much, much earlier than they did.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 and why is it important to me?
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 extends the time period for individuals to file suit who were injured by toxic water at Camp Lejeune. North Carolina statute of limitations law had previously prevented anyone harmed between 1953 and 1987 from filing a claim.
What will we need to prove for me to be awarded compensation?
Generally, in order for compensation to be awarded in any legal proceeding you must prove (1) fault on the party being pursued for compensation, (2) the damages you suffered, and (3) that the damages were ‘causally’ related to the improper act on the part of the defendant. It is undisputed that certain highly toxic chemicals were in the water supply at Camp Lejeune from 1953 through 1987. Thus we believe we will need to prove that you suffered from a certain disease, and that it was likely caused by the water at Camp Lejeune.
What illnesses and diseases are covered under the Act?
It is unknown at this time exactly which diseases and illnesses will qualify for payment or award. We anticipate that all fifteen illnesses in the Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 will also qualifying under the 2022 Act. Additionally, several studies link many other diseases to the chemicals in the water at Camp Lejeune. We believe the illnesses and diseases listed below should be pursued as likely or possible compensable illnesses:
Included as one of the 15 diseases that qualified for payment of medical costs under the Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012:
Cancers of the esophagus, kidney, lung, female breast, and bladder, as well as multiple myeloma, leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Scleroderma, hepatic steatosis, neurobehavioral effects, many non-cancerous kidney diseases, miscarriages and female infertility.
Not included in the 2012 Act but supported by various studies as being linked to the water at Camp Lejeune:
ALS, Parkinson’s disease, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Multiple Sclerosis, and cancers of the liver, prostate, pancreas, and oral cavities.